Sojourner's Inn: Shane and Kristie Mattenley's Sustainable Business for Haiti

Associated Content

April 7, 2010

It is common place for large organizations to dump incredible amounts of money into relief efforts across the globe. Many people send in their donations and trust that the work is being done. These foreign aid agencies, USAID, the UN and other large multinational organizations have one thing in common--obscene quantities of money, politics, and red tape floating through the air in all directions during a crisis like the disaster in Haiti last January.

Some small organizations, like Mercy League International, have a different approach, though more difficult to implement. They believe in the power of grass roots and sustainable development. Similar to the concept of Paul the apostle... the tent maker, the this small organization has plans to create a self perpetuating program with realistic start-up costs. The difference is that this program plans to maintain as much of the overhead as possible through a solid business model designed to create opportunities for people like you and I to enter into the equation.

It should be noted that Mercy League was about to send the director and his family to North Africa in July of this year, but on his birthday, January 12th, the earthquake hit Haiti with a natural disaster the world has not experienced in our lifetime. Plans changed quickly and Mercy League decided to send them to Haiti instead. This was a definite change in course, but the need was far more evident in Haiti than Morocco.

The plan for Morocco was to create something they called "sojourner's Inn," a sustainable business model for travelers from abroad. The plan was designed after the concept of a business run by volunteers and local staff to create a home base for international work teams, independent volunteers, University and college students doing field studies, and seminary students completing the international portion of their programs. The facility will hold 80 beds, a cafe, an internet communication center, a laundry facility, and classrooms. The main purpose of the facility is to create opportunities for people to find a safe and reasonably priced venue to stay while working or volunteering in Haiti. The money generated within the business will pay for the salaries of the director and paid staff, though the largest percentage will be used to fund an education program serving Haitian students who will attend a discipleship training program and life skills center designed to give Haitian nationals formation in spiritual/moral character and marketable trades.

The plan is in its infancy, but dozens have already signed on to help. Volunteers will pay a weekly fee to come and volunteer, and in turn help build the capability for Mercy League to create a self sustaining solution for a country with a great need for educated young men and women of character.


More information can be obtained by contacting Mercy League International through their website: http://www.mercyleague.org or emailing the director: admin@mercyleague.org